Night-latch.



No. 720,986. PATENTED PEB. 17, 1903.

' H. G. VIGHT.

NIGHT LATCH. I

APPLIGATION-TILED NOV. 18, 1902.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY7 Gr. VOIGHT, OF NEIN BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO RUS- SELL AND ERVVIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN,

CONNECTICUT.

NIGHT- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 720,986, dated February 17, 1903.

Application tiled November 18, 1902. Serial No. 131,825. (No model.)

To if/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. VOIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Con necticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Night-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in night-latches; and the objects of myimprovement are simplicity and economy in construction and convenience and eiiiciency of operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis an elevation of that side of my latch which is designed to rest upon the surface of the door. Fig. 2 is a like view of same with the cap-plate and attached lock portion removed. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are like views with a portion of the latch-bolt body broken out and with the moving parts in various positions. Fig. 6 is a like View of a portion of the case with a transverse section of the knob-spin dle. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation, the plane of section being indicated bythe line a", m, Fig. ,1.

A designates the main portion of the case, and Sis the cap-plate thereof. Upon this cap-plate, mainly within the cylinder 9, is the lock portion of the latch, Ythe same being designed to be operated by a key from the outside. At the inner end of the cylinder 9 and within the case is the cam or wing 10 of the lock portion that acts upon the cross-plate of the latch-bolt 12 for withdrawing the bolt by the key. All of this lock portion may be of any ordinary construction.

The reference-numeral 12 is placedon the body of the latch-bolt toindicate the said bolt generally, while 13 is the head of the said bolt at the outer end thereof, and 1l is the cross-plate at the opposite end. A spring 14' surrounds a portion of the body of the latch-vr bolt 12 and acts against the head 13 at one end and the plate 15 at the other, the said plate 15 resting against the studs 16 of the ease, whereby the latch-bolt may be forced inwardly by pressure on the cross-plate and outwardly by the said spring, all as in prior latches of this class.

The cross-plate 11 of the latch-bolt constitutes, in edect, shoulders on the latch-bolt and is acted upon by the two-armed latch-hub 17. The arm 18 of this hub is the longer arm, and in addition to its radial edge and outer end is provided with a cam-face or cam-rise 19, followed by a bearing edge 20, which is preferably concentric to the latchjhub. This cam-face and bearing edge are for acting upon the pin 2l or other fixed projection on the case. T he arm 22 of the hub 17is the shorter arm for acting on the cross-plate by its radial edge and is also provided with the stoplug 23, that projects transversely to the length ofthe said arm sufficiently to act on the body of the latch-bolt. As shown, the hub is supported on a short shaft or spindle 24, Fig. 6, that takes its bearings in only one of the latch-plates-that is, the plate which forms the broad side of the main portion of the case A. This bearing 25, Fig. 6, instead of being a round hole to iit the knob-spindle 24 on all sides is elongated on the inner side, so that'the said spindle and attached latchhub may move bodilyinward transversely to .the axis of the said hub and in the direction of the inward movement of the latch-bolt. The outer end of the` knob-spindle is provided with any suitable operating device-as, for example, the knob 26.

When the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 7, the latch-bolt may be `withdrawn or forced inwardly by `forcing the cam or wing 10 of the lock portion against the cross-plate 11 bymeans ofa key from the outside in the ordinary manner, or the latchbolt may be withdrawn by forcing either arm of the latch-hub against the said cross-plate by turning the knob 26 on the inside of the door. When the said knob is turned so as to carryY the longer arm 18 against the crossplate 11, the stop-lug 23 on the shorter arm 22 comes into engagement with the body of the latch-bolt and stops the movement of the said hub about the time tha'tthe latch-bolt head 13 is fully withdrawn, all as illustrated in Fig. 3. Upon releasing the knob the spring 14 acts to force the parts into the position shown in Fig. 2. When the knob is turned in the direction to force the shorter arm 22 against the stop-plate 1l, the boit is `forced inwardly until the head 13 is wholly withdrawn-that is, so as not to project at all.

IOO

The cam-rise 19 engages the fixed pin 21 on the case with a tendencyv to stop the parts in the position illustrated in Fig. el and does stop the parts in that position when the knob is turned in the natural way without any special effort to turn it harder than is necessary to eect this movement. Upon releasing the knob when in this position the spring 14 restores the parts to the position showny in Fig. 2. When, however, it is desired to disconnect the night-latch entirelythat is, set it so that the latch-bolt will stay in its withdrawn position until it is purposely forced out again-then the knob is turned in the direction to forceits shorter arm 22 against the stop-plate with a special eort to carry the cam-rise beyond the fixed pin or projec tion. The said rise acts as a cam and forces the entire latch-hub and attached parts bodily inward in the direction of the inward movement of the latch-bolt, the enlarged spindlebearing permitting the hub and connected parts to thus move bodily in the transverse direction of the axis of the said hub. After the cam-rise passes the pin 21 the bearing edge which'follows permits the hub to be turned so as to bring the latch-hub arms substantially in alinement with the latch-bolt, in which position the movement of the hub is arrested by the stop-lug 23 engaging the body of the latch-bolt at a point adjacent to the cross-plate 11, all as shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 5 the broken-line circle indicates the normal position of the hub 17. The latch-bolt is now more than fully withdrawn, or, in other words, a little farther than it would ordinarily be withdrawn merely for opening the door. The friction of the shorter arm 22 on the cross-plate and that of the bearing edge 2O on the pin 21 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5 is sufficient to retain the parts in this position as long as may be desired. When it is desired to again put on the night-latch, it is only necessary to turn the knob back from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 4, and the spring will return the parts to their normal position, as shown in Fig. 2.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a night-latch, the combination of a latch-bolt and its spring with a two-armed operating-hub having the cam-rise 19, a fixed projection for being engaged by the said camrise, a spindle for the said hub and a case having a bearing for the said spindle which permits the said hub and connected parts to move transversely to the axis of the said hub under the action of the said cam-rise.

2. In a night-latch, the combination of a latch-bolt and its spring with a two-armed operating-hub having the cam-rise and a stoplug on the said hub, a xed projection for being engaged by the said cam-rise, the said stop-lug being arranged to act on the body of the latch-bolt, a spindle for the said hub and a case having a bearing for the said spindle which permits the said hub and connected parts to move transversely to the axis of the said spindle under the action of the said camrise.

3. In a night-latch, the combination of a latch-bolt and its spring with a two-armed operating-hub, and a stop-lug mounted on and moving with the said hub, the said lug being arranged relatively to the body of the said latch-bolt for coming in contact therewith, when the said hub is turned in either direction.

HENRY G. VOIGHT.

Witnesses:

M. S. WIARD, W. E. WIGHTMAN. 

